High-lift elevating mechanism



May 27, 1969 W. N. PHILLIPS HIGH-LIFT ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 17, 1967 Sheet INVENTOR W/u/AM M PH/L 1. IPs

May 27, 1969 w. N. PHILLIPS HIGH-LIFT ELEVATING MECHANISM Sheet ,3

Filed Oct. 17, 1967 INVENTOR nan/4,44 M PHILLIP-5' May 27, 1969 w. N. PHILLIPS HIGHLIFT ELEVATING MECHANISM Sheet Filed Oct. 17, 1967 I w T United States Patent O 3,446,379 HIGH-LIFT ELEVATING MECHANISM William N. Phillips, Auburndale, Fla., assignor to Leco, Inc., Lakeland, Fla. Filed Oct. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 675,893 Int. Cl. B60p 1/02; B66f 3/22; E04g 1/18 US. Cl. 214-512 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for raising and lowering a high-lift vehicle frame by means of inner and outer lift arms which raise the frame from the chassis of the vehicle by a scissors action while maintaining the same generally horizontal. The mechanism for raising the frame is mounted directly between two pairs of arms and is adapted to react between them with no strain or elevating force applied against the chassis of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to vehicles having portions adapted to be raised and lowered relative to the chassis and relates particularly to a high-lift vehicle having at least one pair of high-lift arms on each side and mechanism carried by certain of said high-lift arms and adapted to react against certain other high-lift arms with a scissors action.

Description of the prior art Many mechanisms have been provided for raising and lowering a high-lift frame generally parallel to the chassis of a vehicle; however, most of these devices have been connected to the chassis in such a manner that the chassis has been subjected to a force exerted by the elevating mechanism. The elevating mechanism usually has included a fluid cylinder which has extended below the chassis and created road clearance problems. Eflorts have been made to provide sliding cam arrangements but these have not been satisfactory since one end of the cylinder pushed against the high-lift frame and required greater bulk for strength and consequently greater weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an apparatus for elevating a high-lift frame and body by forcing apart the arms of the high-lift mechanism without directly subjecting the chassis of the vehicle to any of the forces created by the apparatus so that the only forces on the chassis would be the weight of the high-lift and cargo. This is accomplished by providing a fluid cylinder mounted directly on at least one of the high-lift arms and reacting against a compound linkage connected to at least one of the other high-lift arms.

It is an object of the invention to provide a high-lift elevating mechanism of simpler construction, at reduced cost, and supported by a vehicle chassis of less bulk and weight, as well as of practical and commercially desirable and acceptable construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of the chassis and the high-lift arms of a vehicle illustrating one application of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of a vehicle illustrating the frame partially elevated by the high-lift arms.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation with portions broken away for clarity and illustrating the high-lift mechanism in lowered position.

3,446,379 Patented May 27, 1969 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to the drawings a vehicle 10 is provided having a chassis 11 supported by groundengaging wheels 12. Pairs of inner and outer high-lift arms 13 and 14, respectively, are mounted on the chassis 11 in any desired manner and are adapted to be operated to raise and lower a frame 15 on which a body 16 (FIG. 4) is mounted.

As illustrated, the inner arms 13 are mounted at one end on a shaft 17 carried by a pair of mounting plates or brackets 18 secured to opposite sides of one end of the chassis 11 in any desired manner, as by bolts 19. The opposite end of each of the inner arms 13 is provided with a spacer 20 having a stub shaft 21 on its outer end on which a roller 22 is mounted. A link 23 is pivotally mounted on the stub shaft21 exteriorly of the roller 22 and the opposite end of such link is provided with a stub shaft 24 on which a roller 25 is mounted. The rollers 22 and 25 are adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a web or flange 26 forming part of the frame 15.

One end of each of the outer arms 14 is connected by a pin 27 to a lug 28 carried either by the frame 15 or by the body 16. The opposite end of each of the outer arms is pivotally connected by a pin 29 to one end of a link 30, the opposite end of which is connected by a pin 31 to a bracket 32 welded or otherwise attached to the chassis 11. The inner and outer arms 13 and 14 on each side of the vehicle are disposed adjacent to each other and each of such arms is mounted on a central shaft 33 which extends between the arms on opposite sides of the vehicle to maintain the arms in alignment and to provide a fulcrum about which the arms will be moved.

The structure thus far described is conventional and forms no part of the inventive concept.

In order to raise and lower the frame 15 and the body 16 it is desirable to spread the inner and outer arms 13 and 14 apart and pivot the same about the central shaft 33 in a scissors action. This is accomplished by providing a support member 36 extending between and connected to the inner lift arms 13' in any desired manner, as by welding or the like. If desired, strengthening members or gussets 37 (FIG. 1) may be connected to the support member 36 to provide additional rigidity at the corners. A pair of lugs 38 are mounted on the support member 36 and are adapted to support one end of a fluid cylinder 39 by means of a pivot pin 40.

The cylinder 39 may be of the single acting type in which fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinder through a fluid line 41 to extend a piston and piston rod 42. The free end of the piston rod 42 is connected substantially centrally of a crossbar 43, the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected to a bracket 44 located adjacent to each of the inner arms 13. Each of the brackets 44 is pivotally mounted at another location to the inner arms 13 by means of a pivot pin or shaft 45 so that when the piston rod 42 is extended the brackets 44 will swing about the pivot pins 45. At a third location of each of the brackets 44, a link 46 is rotatably attached at one end by a pin 47 and the opposite ends of such links are connected to a common shaft 48. The opposite ends of the shaft 48 are journaled in bearings 49 carried by each of the outer arms 14.

In the operation of the device, when the high-lift arms are in lowered position and the frame 15 and the body 16 are resting on the arms 13 and 14 supported by the chassis 11, fluid admitted under pressure through the line 41 into the cylinder 39 will cause the piston rod 42 to be extended to pivot the brackets 44 around the pivot pins 45 and raise the third portion of the brackets to which the links 46 are connected. When the links 46 are raised, they will apply an upward force on the outer arms 14 and cause the arms 13 and 14 to pivot about the central shaft 33 in a scissors action. In order to lower the frame 15 and the body 16, the fluid within the cylinder 39 is relieved and the weight of the frame and body will cause the same to be lowered.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a high-lift elevating mechanism is provided which is simpler and less expensive to produce, and can be adequately supported by a lighter weight chassis resulting in substantial saving in weight, bulk and consequent manufacturing and transportation costs, particularly in view of the fact that force utilized in performing the lifting operation is exerted between the lift arms and with no force other than the weight of the high-lift mechanism and the cargo carried by the body 16 being imposed upon the chassis 11. Further, as is apparent from FIG. 4, the lift mechanism will be disposed substantially above the chassis 11 between the arms 13.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for raising and lowering a high-lift portion of a vehicle having a chassis comprising a pair of lift arms located in transversely spaced relation on the chassis, said lift arms being pivotally connected, one of said arms being pivotally mounted on said chassis and the other being movable relative thereto, a support member extending between said arms, actuating means mounted on said support member, a bracket pivotally mounted on certain of said arms, a crossbar connecting said brackets and being located in spaced relation to said pivot, a link connected at one end to each of said brackets in spaced relation to said crossbar, and the opposite end of each link being connected to other of said arms, whereby when said actuating means is operated said brackets will be rotated about the pivots on said certain arms to raise said links and said links will raise said other arms to cause a scissors action between said arms.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said means for pivoting said brackets includes fluid cylinder means.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said bracket means and said rotating means are disposed above said chassis at all times.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,704,199 3/ 1955 Olson 254-122 3,110,476 11/1963 Farris 18718 XR 3,203,670 8/1965 Farris 254122 ALBERT J. MAKAY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

